Superhero
by Pikachunicorn
Summary: Quentin is struggling with what he discovered in the future and refuses to admit that, maybe, he's not okay.


The telepath took a deep breath as he looked out over the city. He bit his lip deeply as an opportunity to find an excuse for the tears that threatened his eyes. It was past midnight now, meaning that Quentin had been stood out on the balcony of the penthouse suite (that he'd pretentiously decided to rent for a few nights) for over four hours. The city had gotten slightly darker, but only a little. The streets below him still buzzed with activity and the buildings around him shone with a variety of yellow lights, demonstrating that he wasn't the only one who was avoiding sleep.

Still, he longed for darkness, stillness, silence. He needed somewhere he could think entirely. He needed to find a way to fix this. _There had to be a way to fix it_. With all the power he had - and the rest he was destined to acquire - there had to be a way he could save his friends.

But right now, there wasn't. Nothing obvious. Nothing he found by looking - and he'd been looking for quite a while.

Twisting his fingers together, he rested his forearms over the banister, dropping his head. Locks of pink hair spilled over his glasses and he closed his eyes with an unstoppable sigh.

"I can't stop this..." He murmured to himself through shaky breaths. "Why can't I stop this?"

He sensed the telepathic signature of someone a few meters back from his position, but chose not to turn around. It wasn't difficult to guess who was there.

"What are you doing here, Evan?" His tone was harsh and curt as he spoke the words.

"Why won't you come home?" Evan's voice was quiet from where he leant against the doorframe that allowed access to the room.

"I am home." Quentin replied bluntly, keeping his eyes set on the tiny cars that buzzed along below them. "This place is as much home as anywhere else."

"Quentin..." Evan sighed heavily.

"Go away." Quentin growled, tightening the grip his hands had on each other to vent some of his frustration.

"No." Evan whispered the simple reply.

"How did you even get up here?" Quentin rolled his eyes, attempting to hold up the uncaring, unamused face he wore so well, but it didn't look quite right.

"I can fly, you know." Evan sighed again, not caring for the way Quentin was taking the conversation. "I've gotten better at it since you left, too."

"I liked you better when you were hopeless." Quentin mumbled. "At least then you weren't sneaking into my hotel rooms late at night."

"I didn't need to. You weren't ignoring me back then." Evan pushed off from the doorframe and wandered over to stand beside Quentin, attempting to look casual but failing hideously.

"I'm not ignoring you now." Quentin forced an exasperated sigh, which both of them knew was obviously fake.

"I don't understand you, Quentin." Evan looked out into the city, mesmerized by the lights that flickered and changed everywhere.

"I don't care." Quentin stated bluntly, turning his face to the right, away from Evan.

"Why do act like nothing ever hurts you?" Evan placed a hand on Quentin's arm in a reassuring gesture, which Quentin quickly chose to shrug off.

"I don't '_act like'_ anything." Quentin growled in a low tone.

"I know the others don't see it, if that's what you're worried about." Evan took to watching the city lights again, to hide his disappointment. "But I do. I know you're hurting, Quentin."

"I'm fine." Quentin mumbled, still refusing to so much as glance at Evan.

"I miss you." Evan confessed with a blush.

"I'm right here." Quentin's voice faltered as he spoke, causing him to inwardly curse himself.

"You're not _my_ Quentin." Evan whispered, moving slightly closer to the telepath.

"I've never been yours, Evan." Quentin countered Evan's movement with a step away. "Nobody owns me."

Evan frowned deeply, considering Quentin's words before answering. "Apart from the Phoenix Force, right?"

"What?" Quentin snapped his attention to Evan, looking at him for the first time, and stepped back, his frustration peaking. "You can't- You-"

He pushed Evan back against the banister and threw a fist towards his face. But, somehow, he stopped when he noticed how the other boy didn't even flinch. Dropping his hand limply to his side, he looked up into Evan's eyes, breathing heavily.

"That is what this is all about, isn't it?" Evan spoke calmly. "Cut the bullshit and tell me the truth."

Quentin raised his eyebrows, surprised when Evan swore, not expecting anything less than total innocence to ever escape Evan's lips.

"I don't want to talk about the Phoenix." Quentin's words were hauntingly weak and it broke Evan's heart.

"Fine." Evan took a step closer to Quentin, and this time the other boy did not retreat. "If you don't want to talk about your future, let's talk about mine."

"Evan..." Quentin shook his head, his words lost.

"What are you so scared of, Quentin?" Evan was very aware of everything Quentin's body did in that moment. The way his chest rose heavily with each wavering breath. The minimal blinking. The way he swallowed the lump in his throat. His fingers flexing awkwardly at his sides.

"I- What if- I mean..." Quentin shook his head again, unable to speak anything coherent.

"Let me help you." Evan pleaded, choosing to take another step closer.

"I don't need your help, Evan!" Quentin snapped, his emotions forcing his psychic energy to shatter the glass in the doors into the hotel room. "Stop thinking you're some sort of super hero! You're not! Not even close!"

"Quentin! Wait!" Evan reached for the other boy's hand, but was quickly denied the contact.

"No! There has to be a line, Evan!" Quentin yelled, slamming his fist into the banister beside Evan. "There has to be a point when you stop and realize that people like you and me aren't supposed to be heroes! We're the bad guys! We're the ones everyone should be scared of! Maybe you should just accept that sooner rather than later!"

"No, Quentin, you're wrong." Evan avoided looking at the telepath now, his voice quiet. "We're not the bad guys. Not if we don't want to be. I think maybe _you_ should just accept that you _are_ a hero."

"No, I'm- I am- I'm gonna be the Phoenix! That's not- I can't-" Quentin fell back against the banister, his voice dropping to a shaky whisper. "How can I be a hero if I can't even save you?"

"It's not your job to save me. I can look after myself." Evan sat at Quentin's feet, against the banister, looking up at the telepath.

"But- I don't want you to become what you're scared you will." Quentin took a steadying breath, before lowering himself to sit beside Evan.

"That's not your responsibility." Evan murmured, playing with his tie.

"I promised myself I'd look after you." Quentin spoke almost inaudibly through the confession. Evan frowned, risking a look to Quentin's eyes, but chose not to reply. "Evan, I'm so scared."

"Don't be. We'll be okay." Evan's words were as perfectly optimistic as always, as he shuffled a little closer to Quentin.

"Will we?" Quentin looked down at his fingers, which he knotted in his lap. "What if I screw up? That's what I-"

"It doesn't matter. Stop thinking you have to protect me, Idie and the others so much. You're not in this alone, Q." Evan ran a finger down the lapel of Quentin's jacket, where several tacky slogan badges had been pinned.

"But I'm gonna have all this power - I should have to protect you. I mean, I'll be able to then. I won't be so damn weak." Quentin's hands tightened into fists in his lap.

"You're not weak. You never have been. You're spectacular. You don't need the Phoenix Force to be a hero. You just are." Evan slowly circled his finger around the '_Phoenext_' badge on Quentin's jacket. "Stop thinking you're nothing without this... You're perfect." Evan's brow furrowed more as he spoke, and in a second, he tugged the badge from Quentin's jacket and tossed it back over the edge of the balcony. He shrugged carelessly, settling back against Quentin's shoulder. "Oops."

"Ev!" Quentin exclaimed, laughing.

"You don't need some stupid symbol to be my hero. You don't even need your mutation." Evan yawned and closed his eyes. "Quentin Quire is my hero because of who he is - behind the powers and the strange choice of style."

"My style is perfectly fine." Quentin stated defensively.

"That is all you got from that? You really do confuse me, Quentin." Evan smiled slightly and yawned again. "Y'know, I like this Quentin. He's sweet."

"Yeah, don't get used to it, freak show. It's purely a one-time thing." Quentin smiled through the words. "Evan?"

"Yup." Evan sighed, snuggling closer to Quentin.

"Why did you come here?" Quentin whispered, turning his head and nuzzling his nose into Evan's hair a little.

"Because, like I said, you're my hero. And I figured that even superheroes need a little help sometimes." Evan shrugged, as if anyone would've done the same in his position.

"I'm sorry for everything, Ev. Past, present and future - every time I screw up and let you down. I'm so sorry." Quentin whispered, taking a deep, shaky breath.

"It's not your fault." Evan murmured tiredly.

"Ev... When the Phoenix comes for me... I need you to be there." Quentin breathed. "I've felt it before - part of it. It's not easy. And somehow... I dunno. When everything's wrong and I've lost all of the control I have, you always seem to be able to just... Fix it. So, if you were there when... I guess..."

"Is Quentin Quire admitting he needs help?" Evan teased, giggling. "This is new."

"Shut up, lips." Quentin shoved Evan lightly, laughing a little. Evan moaned quietly as the cool night hit his body, before snuggling against Quentin's chest again.

"But yes, I'll always be here for you. Forever. You're my best friend, Q." Evan blushed as he spoke, and Quentin noted that this hit around 110% on the adorable scale.

"Best friend? Oh god! Come on, Ev. Don't be tacky." He teased, wrapping his arm around Evan's shoulders and pulling him closer.

"Quentin..." Evan spoke through his yawn.

"Mmhmm?"

"You said you'd promised yourself you'd look after me?" Quentin's eyes snapped open at the sound of the words. "When did you promise yourself that?"

"It doesn't matter, Ev. Go to sleep." Quentin ordered softly.

"It _does_ matter. Why would you promise yourself that?" Evan sat up and looked into Quentin's embarrassed expression.

"No reason." The telepath shrugged, laughing awkwardly.

"Dr McCoy says the best way to discover the answer to something is to conduct an experiment." Evan laughed playfully.

"What are you even thinking, freak show?" Quentin pushed a hand through Evan's perfectly combed hair, messing it up. In his opinion, there was nothing more attractive than a casual Evan Sabahnur.

"Can't you just read my mind, Quentin?" Evan teased, levelling his face with Quentin's, and leaned in a little. "I'm conducting an experiment."

"I'm too tired for experiments, lips." Quentin moaned.

"Shut up." Evan chuckled, removing Quentin's glasses and flicking them between his fingers.

"You do realize I need those to see, right?" Quentin commented, still a little confused by the fact Evan Sabahnur had just told him to shut up.

"I know. Close your eyes and shut up." An amused smile played out on Evan's lips.

Sighing, Quentin followed the orders. "What now?"

"Stop talking." Evan whispered, smiling brightly.

_'Fine - what now, lips?'_ Quentin projected the thoughts in a sassy tone.

"Do you ever stop talking?" Evan laughed, closing the distance between them a little more.

"If someone gives me a reason, but most of their reasons aren't worth it." Quentin shrugged, exuding perfect arrogance.

"You're so strange, Quentin!" Evan bit his lip to suppress more laughter as he wrapped his arms around Quentin's neck. Now, his heart began to race. He wondered temporarily why _'normal'_ teens seemed to do this so much and why they found it so enjoyable. It was weird. And scary. And so far, Evan wasn't having much fun at all. Still, he forced himself to remember what he'd read on that Yahoo Answers page, wrinkling his nose a little when his mind drew a blank. He was going to have to do this himself.

"Evan, seriously," Quentin released an exasperated sigh. "What are you-"

Quentin's words were cut off when Evan kissed him. The telepath could tell that the other boy had no idea what he was doing - which was totally adorable - so decided to take the lead. Pushing one hand into Evan's hair, he placed the other on the other mutant's waist, pulling him closer, smirking against his lips.

_'I think this is the first experiment I've ever been remotely interested in.' _Quentin projected jokingly.

_'Would you like to know my findings?'_ Evan replied, deepening the kiss a little (which Quentin noted as 20% surprising and 80% hot as hell).

_'I'm good with just continuing this experiment.' _Quentin teased.

"I think," Evan whispered, pulling back with a strong blush. "That you want to protect me for a similar reason to why I want to protect you. At least, I hope, because that would be amazing."

"Ev, I-"

"Here." Evan cut Quentin off, pushing his glasses back over his eyes.

"Thanks..." Quentin blushed, turning away.

"It's strange seeing you embarrassed, Quentin. You're always so self-assured, but not when it's just us. I don't understand that." Evan whispered, settling back against Quentin's shoulder.

"Evan..." Quentin sighed, stroking the other boy's hair gently. "I- You- You know why I feel I have to look after you, don't you? Please don't make me say it."

"I love you, Quentin Quire." Evan breathed, before yawning casually as if he had said something completely mundane.

"Evan." Quentin pulled Evan to his chest and kissed his hair.

"I'm here, Q." Evan murmured into Quentin soft, pink jacket. "I always will be."

"Please don't let me hurt you." Again, Quentin felt the familiar pressure behind his eyes and lump in his throat.

"You won't." Evan yawned, snuggling impossibly closer.

"You're everything to me..." Quentin blushed, feeling totally stupid for saying something like that.

"I'm tired." Evan said simply, knowing Quentin would hate it if they made a big deal out of what he had just confessed. "Can we go to bed, please?"

"Sure..." Evan stood and offered Quentin his hand, pulling him to his feet. Quentin took this moment to kiss Evan again, never releasing his hand, and lead him into his room, through the shattered glass doors. Evan stretched tiredly, yawning as he pulled his tie free from his collar.

Quentin, not bothering to change properly, shrugged off his jacket and kicked off his boots before climbing into the large, almost illegally comfortable bed.

Evan, now wearing no more than a white shirt and his underwear, slipped into the bed beside Quentin. Closing his eyes, he laid his head on Quentin's chest, shuffling closer to take full advantage of Quentin's body heat.

It was strange how right it all felt to Quentin. He never expected this. He wanted it, but never _expected_ it. He didn't understand how he could be allowed to look after something as perfect and delicate as Evan, and was completely and totally terrified by the idea. But deep down, he knew he didn't need to be. Evan was strong - possibly strong enough to protect them both.

All Quentin really knew, as he felt Evan's body become heavier with the relaxation that came with deep sleep, was that he would risk everything in the known universe and more, purely to protect the boy in his arms. Sighing peacefully, he closed his eyes, stroking his thumb over Evan's skin to reassure himself this was really happening.

"I love you too, Sabahnur."


End file.
